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When it comes to customer service departments, few industries underwhelm on an annual basis quite like the airline industry. This isn’t just about leg room, and it isn’t even about being forcibly dragged off a plane. In fact, despite several recent PR missteps, the airline industry just had its highest rating ever bestowed on it by the American Customer Service Index.
The bad news? Their score, a 75 on the organization’s 100-point scale, still puts airlines in the bottom third of the 40 sectors measured by ACSI researchers. Despite recent strides taken to improve customer service in the airline industry, it remains to be seen whether these efforts will be great enough to stem the tide of such a historically poor reputation.
But with summer in full swing, we should find out soon enough.
Here are some of the key considerations to watch as airlines try to accommodate a record number of travelers this summer.
Have omni-channel shortcomings been addressed?
According to a recent study on travel industry customer service conducted by Aspect, it was found that only 27 percent of travel executives believe their company is delivering an omni-channel experience. This is a startlingly low number, especially given the nature of the business. Travel industry customers aren’t sitting at home buying a tangible product online. They’re living the product, and it is meant to fit into a larger experience. Travelers must be able to reach out quickly and conveniently across channels at any time, or there is a chance that they could run into logistical issues with their trips and turn a small service issue into a big one.
Are customer service agents equipped with the right tools for the job?
As businesses continue to emphasize customer service, a broad suite of innovative customer service solutions have entered the marketplace to meet that demand. But according to Aspect’s travel industry study, only half of travel organizations have yet to achieve their own innovation goals. Customer service decision makers must take a hard look at the infrastructure and software at play across their organizations and determine whether they are getting all they can out of innovative customer service solutions.
Can travelers help airlines by helping themselves?
Our travel industry study also found that three out of four consumers want the ability to resolve customer service issues on their own. Innovative interactive voice response (IVR) and interactive text response (ITR) features can certainly address the needs of those consumers, but only 30 percent of travel executives strongly agreed that self-service was an important part of their company’s customer service strategy, last in the industries we tracked in the survey. Airlines will be able to greatly reduce pressure on their own customer service agents by giving travelers the ability to resolve their own inquiries. The airlines that fail to heed this lesson are likely in for a turbulent summer.
To learn more about the innovative software transforming customer service today, check out Aspect.
- Customer Service and Chill: Netflix Announces Plans to Raise Prices - January 15, 2019
- The 2018 Aspect Consumer Experience Index: Survey Says, the Evolution of Customer Service Continues - December 6, 2018
- The New Rules for Customer Service - December 4, 2018


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doston writes: Top US swimming coach John Leonard, the executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, has branded Ye's performance as "unbelievable" and "disturbing" and her speed over the final 50-metres as "flat out impossible".
Leonard told The Guardian that the race brings back memories of Irish swimmer Michelle Smith's four medal win at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996; she was later given a four year ban after failing a drug test.
He added that because she is from China — which has been dogged by swimmers testing positive for performance enhancing drugs in recent years — adds even more suspicion.
He has even suggested that the Chinese could be using genetic manipulation to enhance performances.
doston writes: After experiencing lousy 3G connectivity with my own EVO LTE, Tech Hive has confirmed mobile network connection problems and reports widespread customer grumbling. Sprint's LTE phone, with no LTE network and unusable 3G, might just be the slowest smartphone in America.
doston writes: For anybody who's seen "The Bitter Truth" UCSF lecture, this will come as no surprise. More and more research suggests that sugar, beyond the additional caloric burden, is a toxic substance. New studies suggest that calories from fats, for example, are not as detrimental as calories from sugars. That's a huge shift in thinking from the old "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie" adage.
doston writes: Britain to monitor email, phone calls, text messages and online activity to "protect the public" from terrorism. Internet companies would be required to install hardware that will allow Britain's electronic "listening" agency to gain real-time access to communications data. Not lacking in CCTV monitoring, it seems inevitable Britain's will become the most monitored citizens of any developed, so called "democratic" country on earth. Will Britains allow the trend of total domestic surveillance to continue unabated?
doston writes: The first independent audit of Apple's supply chain found excessive working hours and health and safety issues at its largest manufacturer, piling more pressure on the technology giant. This investigation targeted Hon Hai Precision Industry (not Foxconn, for a fresh change). Should Apple be held responsible for these supplier violations? Will the public ever sour on Apple devices in light of the constant media attention on supplier working conditions?
doston writes: Designed by Argentine, North American and Israeli engineers and made in China (of course), the mobile phone sized device is guaranteed to work worldwide. The airline industry spends $5.8 billion annually on lost luggage. Could the device become a standard addition to every suitcase? Would it get past airport security? Will the airline industy object on the basis of its GSM (not GPS) signal with cabin phone precautions what they are? Luggage could be instantly located...it takes 72 hours on average at the moment.
doston writes: The new Kindle Fire will be built by Foxconn and relased in early summer 2012. Will Amazon continue to sell the next gen Kindle Fire at a loss or try to eek a profit out of superior hardware specs?
doston writes: "Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers University student, was convicted of invasion of privacy and some bias intimidation charges for spying on his roommate with a webcam. He relentlessly spyed on, publicly teased humiliated via Twitter an awkward gay kid who had just come out to his parents and was grappling with sexuality. There's a possibility he will be deported."

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- Cotton/Yarn Prices:-
Inflation 2022 has caused a severe increase & fluctuation in the prices of cotton and yarn. This has severely affected the hosiery textiles apparel manufacturers of tirupur in India to confirm prices with the buyers and importers.
- Accessories Prices:-
Most of the accessories used by the apparel manufacturers in tirupur in India are based on plastics and Global hike in crude oil prices has directly affected the prices for accessories such as hanger and labels.
- Labour Costs:-
Due to the increase of essential commodities including groceries, petrol & diesel, labour costs for clothing manufacturers in Tirupur, India has gone up as well.
- Shipping & logistics costs:-
Container shortage due to Covid-19 has caused gradual increase in the shipping and logistics cost for clothing manufacturers in Tirupur in India. Inflation 2022 has increased the shipping & logistics costs upto 3 times.All these factors has caused immense pressure on the clothing manufacturers in tiurpur india. But even with these Inflation 2022 challenges, the clothing manufacturers in tirupur are confirming the best prices in line with the recent inflation.


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Last week, the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the EU Ecolabel started in the Czech Republic. The celebration is unconventional in its form, with a travelling stand “Shrowroom on wheels”, which you can meet in various places in Prague over the next few days. The showroom is also a “precursor” to a larger marketing campaign to promote the Ecolabel in the Czech Republic.
During the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the EU Ecolabel, “Showroom on wheels” came to the Czech Republic. The Showroom is a bicycle caravan pulled by an electric bicycle, which functions as a promotional stand. Last week it was on display at the National Technical Library in Prague as part of the Environment – Environment for Life conference and at other weekend events. You can see the showroom again at selected events on the weekend of 24 – 25 September. At the showroom you can learn more about the EU Ecolabel itself, as well as about specific producers and their products that have received this certification. You can take a spin around the fortune – and maybe even take something away. The EU Ecolabel is the only certification of the environmental friendliness of products and services throughout their entire life cycle. It is guaranteed by the European Commission and is valid throughout the European Union. But it does not apply to food.
“Only a small part of Czech society knows the EU Ecolabel and perceives it as a guarantee of environmental friendliness and quality in one. Specifically, we are talking about approximately sixteen percent. This is a great pity, which is why we decided to change it. Later this year we will launch a marketing campaign to promote the Ecolabel among consumers and companies alike. We need to change people’s perceptions and get rid of their prejudices against eco-products. It is symbolic that this will happen in the year when the EU Ecolabel celebrates its 30th anniversary,” says Environment Minister Anna Hubáčková (KDU-ČSL). She is also the main character of the teaser for the campaign, which you can find on YouTube. The mysterious character Ekolífek also appears in it.
CENIA Director Miroslav Havránek adds, “Our campaign will start in November this year and will use the form of a cross-media campaign. We will reveal who Ekolífek is and focus on educating the public on the issue of eco-labelling and the benefits of these products. At the same time, we will approach manufacturers and service providers who already present at least part of their products as eco-friendly to confirm this fact with a recognised certification. This is our EU Ecolabel, or the purely Czech Eco-friendly product and Eco-friendly service labels. We provide these to applicants mainly for products where there are no uniform criteria under the EU Ecolabel yet.”


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LEADING negotiation skills development consultancy Scotwork has announced it has appointed a new CEO to lead its UK business.
Horace McDonald, previously a Sales and Marketing Director at the firm, has been selected as the new Chief Executive Officer, and will be tasked with growing the UK business and expanding the capabilities of the team.
Headquartered in Glasgow since 1975, Scotwork has grown into the world’s number one independent negotiation consultancy, operating in 120 countries from 46 offices. It uses its data-driven insights and expertise to provide impactful negotiation training, advice and coaching to a global portfolio of clients. It has coached hundreds of thousands of senior managers across the world, covering 29 different languages.
Horace started his career in Marketing at Unilever before moving onto a sales role for Superdrug, where he was thrust into challenging negotiation environments. He then moved onto roles at EMI Records and Virgin Records before taking a career break to develop a print-on-demand business. In 2010 Horace started his first job with a negotiation firm where he developed a passion for the subject and had considerable success in growing the practice. He then spent three years at a boutique market research company as Managing Director for Europe, leading a team of over 50 researchers. Horace landed at Scotwork in early 2021 as Business Development Director.
Commenting on his new role, Horace said: “I am thrilled to be appointed as Scotwork’s new UK CEO. I’ve had a fantastic couple of years at the firm and look forward to developing and growing the business in this next chapter.
“I am passionate about inspiring businesses and helping people to be more confident in selling and developing commercial relationships, securing the best deals for their business. It’s a cliche but every business is only as good as the quality and the passion of its people. Providing guidance, empowering them to make choices and being a sounding board to help guide their decision making are the things that I do best.
“It’s a real privilege to accept this new role, and I look forward to further supporting our existing clients as well as growing the business, building on our reputation for providing invaluable advice and training.”
Stephen White, Chairman of Scotwork UK, added: “Horace has an abundance of experience, a strong track record and an unrivalled knowledge of our business, making him an excellent choice to lead our UK operation. We have ambitious growth plans and Horace is evidence of our commitment to attract and retain the best talent in the market so we can continue to provide a top-class service to our clients whilst looking to grow our revenue.”


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Bathroom panel manufacturer Multipanel’s sales director, John Mortimer, believes there is plenty that the industry could do help to plug the skills gap and bring more people into the trade.
Last year, the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom installation (BiKBBI) issued a stark warning over the shortage of skilled workers in the industry, predicting that this would have a detrimental impact on the home-improvement industry if the skills gaps weren’t plugged.
The shortage of skilled workers impacts businesses as much as employers, including us at Multipanel, where tradespeople form a key component of the chain that connects us, the manufacturer, to the consumer. At the end of that chain, the homeowner also feels the strain, being unable to employ tradespeople to carry out work on their home.
Why is this happening?
The skills gap faced by the KBB industry is no secret, and is certainly part of a long-term trend that has seen the number of people coming into the industry fail to meet the increasing demand for skilled workers.
One of the major reasons for this trend is the boom in demand for home improvements, which has seen a 50% acceleration in two years. This increase can undoubtedly be attributed to the pandemic, which saw homeowners invest in the homes that they were spending so much more time in, creating a demand that labour could not keep pace with.
Another key factor behind the skills gap is that fewer young people are choosing a career in the KBB sector. There seems to be a lack of encouragement for young people to consider joining the industry, which has detrimental implications.
What can be done to plug the gap?
There is plenty that the industry can contribute to plug the skills gap. One of the key solutions, I believe, is to focus on upskilling – to evolve and diversify tradespeople’s skill sets, which will increase the number, and indeed types, of projects that a skilled worker can complete.
We work towards reducing the skills gap by offering on-site training. We have also created an education platform, called Multipanel University, or Multipanel U, where tradespeople can learn how to install our bathroom panels.
The programme is available on the Builders Merchants Federation website, where members can access
the platform as part of their ongoing development. It’s designed to guide them through the entire installation process, from measuring to fitting panels around door frames and windows.
Delivered through a short series of videos, tradespeople will finish the programme with an accreditation, and the knowledge needed to ensure that the perfect result is delivered every time.
If more businesses create upskilling platforms, I believe we would make the industry more accessible and attractive.
The other, remedy to help encourage a new generation of skilled workers is apprenticeships. Just as the pandemic caused the explosion in the home-improvement industry, so too is it, at least partly, to blame for the drop in young tradespeople coming into the industry.
As schools, colleges and universities had to shift to online learning, so too did apprenticeship schemes. Apprentice-ships are traditionally a hands-on learning experience for young people, and a hands-on teaching method is much more desirable than learning solely online. So, with the in-person learning model suspended, it’s no wonder that young people began to make different career choices.
Now that we have reached a point where apprenticeships can once again be completed in person, businesses must make sure that apprenticeships are both accessible and attractive to prospective students. To do this will showcase the trade industry as a viable and rewarding career path for young people.
Finally, there is no better way to address the skills gap than for businesses to collaborate with the tradespeople who form such an integral part of our business model. We need to spark a conversation and invite collaboration across the industry, so that we can truly understand what the needs are from a trade point of view, as well as a manufacturing and consumer perspective.
As an example of ways that businesses can collaborate, we work very closely with our merchants and retail partners to train their staff with breakfast mornings at merchant branches. We further support the industry with our Find an Installer search engine, which connects individuals and businesses with tradespeople in their local area.
Plugging the skills gap is a heavy task, but the future hopefully looks bright.


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Sales tax in Britain has just gone up to its highest ever as part of the effort to bring down the country’s huge budget deficit.
VAT – or Value Added Tax – on most goods and services has risen from 17.5 percent to 20 percent.
UK finance minister George Osborne said the alternatives – higher income or payroll taxes – would make the British economy less competitive: “I think the VAT rise is a tough, but necessary step in getting Britain back on the road to economic recovery.”
The Labour Party opposition, which was in power until May, has warned that the VAT increase will actually cost Britain more jobs.
Labour leader Ed Milliband said: “It is the wrong tax at the wrong time for our economy and for our country.”
One price comparison website calculated the rise will cost each British household the equivalent of around 610 euros a year.
Shoppers were not looking forward to the VAT rise. One said “I’m unhappy about it going up obviously, it has an impact on everything you buy.”
Another complained he would not be able to afford it on a fixed income: “It’s a lot of money, especially when you are on a pension.”
The Office for Budget Responsibility – a government watchdog – has calculated the tax increase will cut Britain’s economic output this year and next by nought point three percent.
Sales tax in Italy is also 20 percent, in France it is 19.6 percent and in Germany 19 percent.
- 1French fuel strike: frustration at the pumps and an investment warning
- 2Brexit vote: one month away the recession warnings keep coming
- 3Eurostar sales fall after Paris and Brussels terror attacks
- 4Oil tops $50 a barrel for first time this year
- 5Security concerns hit tourism industry, Thomas Cook shares slump
Wires > Business
- 17:59 CET Former funds trade body head joins UK regulator
- 17:25 CET Monsanto boss could net $70 million from a Bayer takeover
- 17:06 CET UK competition watchdog investigates Sainsbury-Home Retail deal
- 16:36 CET EU executive targets harmonising marketing, fees in 8 trln euro…
- 16:25 CET EU Commission clears UniCredit, Santander fund management deal
- 16:22 CET BMW recalls 120,000 cars over Takata air bags – Bild
- 16:16 CET Watchmaker Breitling counts on family commitment in tough times
- 16:15 CET EasyGroup calls for removal of Fastjet Chairman Colin Child


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Worldwide avionics sales in the third quarter totaled more than $1.72 billion, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association’s latest quarterly avionics market report. In the first nine months, the industry recorded more than $5.1 billion in total worldwide avionics sales. Last year, nearly $6.3 billion in avionics were sold. The amounts include all aircraft electronic products (both certified and noncertified), hardware, batteries and chargeable product upgrades from the 20 participating avionics manufacturers. They do not include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty or subscription services.
Avionics Sales Top $1.72B in Third Quarter
- November 26, 2013, 2:40 PM


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Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan has shared a letter to commemorate the one-year anniversary of his company’s newest console, the PlayStation 5. Released on November 12, 2020, the AMD-powered system continues to sell extremely well despite its meager library of true, next-generation exclusives. That said, Ryan has promised that there are many great first-party games on the way from PlayStation Studios.
A year seems to have flown by rather quickly since the first day that gamers were able to get their hands on PS5 — and I am deeply honored and humbled to celebrate this amazing first year with all of you. […]
[…] we are just getting started with PS5. The imaginative game creators and publishing partners we work with have launched more than 360 games on PS5. Additionally, there are currently more than 25 games in development for PS5 at PlayStation Studios.
Ryan also shared a list of the most popular PS5 games of the year. Included are two exclusives, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- FIFA 21
- NBA 2K21
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Destiny 2
- MLB The Show 21
- Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Demon’s Souls
- NBA 2K22


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News Briefs for December 11, 2012December 11, 2012
•Gruppo Campari has completed its cash tender offer for all issued and outstanding ordinary and preferred shares of Jamaica’s Lascelles de Mercado. Campari agreed to purchase an 81.4% stake in Lascelles from CL Financial in September. The Italian drinks group intends to delist Lascelles from the Jamaican stock exchange. Lascelles sells roughly 3.5 million cases of spirits and wine annually, with rum, most notably the Appleton brand, accounting for more than half of its sales.
•Garnet Vineyards, part of the Vintage Point portfolio, has unveiled a package update for its 2011 Monterey Pinot Noir. The revamped bottle features a large garnet on the label, referencing a pair of garnet earrings purchased by Garnet Vineyards winemaker Alison Crowe as a teenager. Additionally, the new label includes a revised brand story, which draws comparisons between the wine and its namesake semi-precious gem. Garnet’s repackaged 2011 Monterey Pinot Noir is available this month, priced at $14.99 a 750-ml. The winery specializes in 100% estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Carneros, Monterey and Sonoma Coast regions.
•New York-based Panache Beverages has announced a national distribution deal for its Wódka vodka and Alchemia infused vodka brands with LDV Hospitality. The agreement includes well and cocktail placements in LDV locations in New York, Atlantic City, Miami, Beverly Hills and Las Vegas. LDV’s brands include such restaurants as Scott Conant’s Scarpetta (at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach) and Marc Forgione’s American Cut (at Revel Atlantic City), as well as Azure by Allegretti, Dolce Italian and Local West, among others. Panache’s portfolio also includes Alibi American whiskey, which is distributed nationally by Domaine Select Wine Estates.
•Charles Mignon Champagne has partnered with global luxury brand Billionaires Row to release Cuvee Billionaires Row Brut Rosé Grand Cru. Billed as the “Pink Diamond” of Champagnes, the new offering is produced and bottled by Charles Mignon and imported and distributed exclusively by Vidalco International. It will retail for $200 a bottle and sell in clubs, restaurants and high-end retail shops across the country. A total of 20,000 bottles of the Cuvee have been produced, half of which will be imported to the U.S. and the other half to global markets. According to Vidalco’s president and CEO, Constantin Zamfirescu, annual production could be increased to around 75,000 total bottles after 2015.
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The latest rally in the shipping freights’ markets, not to mention shipping stocks is yet another sign of the rate of integration between the once isolated shipping industry, with the world’s financial markets and traders. It is now more apparent than ever, that freight rates have much to do with supply and demand, but also with speculative moves in the commodities’ markets. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Allied Shipbroking noted that “we have all borne witness to the sluggish pace of trade growth witnessed during the course of the past 4 years as well as the even slower pace noted within to 2016. Given the glut in tonnage supply that has accumulated since 2011, the shipping industry has found it very difficult to find a stable foothold from where to keep itself in “normal operations” and with viable earnings. What made 2015 & 2016 so problematic is that the balance between demand and supply went further off course as trade growth almost came to an absolute halt. This growing concern had been in part expressed in the worries that were being voiced over the outcome of the U.S. elections, with many prominent economists and economic analyst in major organizations seeing a further deterioration of the situation as major countries around the world start to turn to more inward focused economic policies”.
According to Allied’s George Lazaridis Head of Market Research & Asset Valuations, “just one day after the results came out and we started to see a very different picture emerge in the markets. Trade in most bulk commodities was instantly boosted, with freight rates in both the dry bulk and tanker markets for the majority of size groups shooting up considerably. At the same time commodity prices were in for a major rally, with most prominent that of coal which even managed to peak at some point above US$ 100 per tonne. Things have quietened down considerably on all fronts since then and it looks as though we are heading towards some normality which is still at better levels then it was one month prior”.
So, one can’t help but wonder where did all this optimism come from however and does it have enough basis for it to match a more long-term trend? Lazaridis said that “this quick move seems to have been generated by a series of events that took place triggering a domino move that boosted things further and further, urging the speculators to further fuel the market. For one we had the basis of most of the pre-election talks by Mr. Trump that referred to a splurge of infrastructure spending in the U.S. during his presidency. Such a splurge would need to be adequately fed by bulk commodities such as steel, cement and other vital bulk commodities used in construction. As the market moved more bullish for these commodities and several traders went into stockpiling mode in order to be adequately stocked for the proposed boom in demand, the second wave of effects started to take hold. A mass of investors had already started to flee out of several emerging markets (such as Mexico) and starting to head towards the commodities markets which had showed greater promise since the summer period. As they flocked they boosted prices ever further and with prices rising quick a surge was generated (essentially a mini bubble) as traders looked to move quick before prices got too hot. Similarly traders in many economies which are heavy importers of these commodities where in an even bigger rush as the strengthening dollar amplified the price hike even more”.
Allied’s analyst went on to note that “these price hikes in commodities were to the main benefit of ship owners as the cost of freight became an ever more insignificant portion in the whole equation, taking second place to the speed with which a trader could book the cargo he was after. This speculatively fueled rally has boosted the market significantly however it seems as though it has run its course for now. That’s not to say that an imminent collapse is now in sight. It looks as though trade might hold at much better levels for the remainder of the final quarter of 2016 than it did a year ago. As to how well it will cope in the first quarter however is another story altogether”.


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“Everyone has a role in securing their part of cyberspace, including the devices and networks they use.” – StaySafeOnline.org, National Sponsors of Data Privacy Day
Cedar Rapids, Iowa (PRWEB) January 25, 2013
(January 28, 2013) – Last year, more people bought smart phones than PCs, yet awareness of digital threats for mobile devices (including tablets) still wanes. In honor of Data Privacy Day, held annually on January 28, SecurityCoverage has released an infographic describing “Troubles in the Cloud” and a Data Privacy Checklist to help Internet users better protect themselves and their families at home and on the go.
“As a leading computer and mobile device security firm, we see risks in the environment every day,” said SecurityCoverage CEO Robert O’Dell. “We want to make sure that consumers are both aware of these risks and taking steps to protect their devices, their privacy and their families.“
Data Privacy Checklist:
- Keep a clean, updated machine.
Keeping the latest security software, web browser and operating system is a solid defense against viruses, malware and other online threats. Developers work hard to identify security weaknesses in their programs and issue updates with fixes. Be sure you are up-to-date and turn on auto-updates when available.
- Don’t click suspicious links.
Don’t open suspicious links in email tweets, posts, online ads, messages or attachments. What is suspicious? Be wary of deals that are “too good to be true” and if you receive email from people or companies you don’t know, report them as spam and delete it. Hover over links before clicking to verify that the address matches the email originator.
- Never give out account information.
Credible organizations will never contact you, asking for your account number, PIN, password, etc. They just won’t. If you are unsure, contact the organization directly (using the email or phone number you have on file).
- Use strong, long, unique passwords.
Make your passwords long and strong with a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Never reuse passwords on multiple accounts. Secure password manager software can help you generate good passwords and keep them safe and organized.
- Be smart about social.
You are just “renting” space on a social network and have very little say over changes to privacy settings. Always think twice before sharing things that could damage your reputation, friendships or future prospects. Use stand alone cloud storage to backup personal photos and files, instead of saving a copy in a social network.
- Don’t overlook mobile.
Smartphones and tablets store and transmit a huge range of personal data which third parties can access. Don’t transmit personal information when using public wi-fi and be sure to secure your mobile devices with a unique passcode and security software.
- Your network is only as secure as the least secure user.
Be sure to share this checklist with family and friends who use your network and machines. We each need to do our part and practice good digital citizenship.
For more articles on protecting your device, your privacy and your family, visit http://www.securitycoverage.com/blog.
Based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, SecurityCoverage's mission is to simplify the use of technology and provide world class customer service. Known for award winning digital security and exceptional support services, SecurityCoverage secures online identities and devices across desktop, mobile handset and tablet environments. It serves customers through a partnership group of electronic retailers, Internet Service Providers, and telecommunications and cable companies across the nation. Product and company information is available at http://www.securitycoverage.com.
Mr. O’Dell is available for interviews and questions around data privacy and digital security.


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Published on : Tuesday, November 26, 2013
According to the Program on national tourism promotion program for the period of 2013 – 2020 approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Vietnam will focus on some following actions to step up tourism.
The program aims to intensify activities popularizing national and local destinations, the country’s special tourist products and services abroad to attract more foreign tourists and increase their staying and spending.
By 2020, three to four tourism promotion activities will be done for each of the major international tourism markets, including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Pacific, North America, Western Europe and Eastern Europe; and at least one activity will be carried out for each of potential markets such as South Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, at least 50% of tourism promotion activities will be expanded size as well as scale and improved in form and content.
In addition, popularization and promotion in the country to raise awareness of protecting the tourism environment and behaviour to tourists will be paid attention. By 2020, 3 – 5 tourism events will be organized each years in localities with tourism potentials. The program also mentions coordination with 15-20 big domestic communication agencies to popularize tourism.
To reach the above targets, the country needs to step up popularizing Vietnam’s tourism abroad such as introducing destinations, joining international tourist fairs, conferences and seminars, advertising on big magazines, TV channels and panels, inviting travel firms and foreign media to make surveys on destinations and linking national and local tourism promotion units with each other.
Beside this, tourism promotion in domestic market will be forwarded with many actions such as organizing the national tourism year, big cultural, sports events, workshops and seminars, advertising tourism on media and many others.
Another focus of the program is developing online marketing and producing publications to support tourism popularization.
The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to build management and directing policies to realize the program.
Source:- Vietnam Tourism


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Home Tags Shrewsbury Market Hall
Tag: Shrewsbury Market Hall
Shrewsbury Market Hall has launched a public appeal for donations of unwanted large picture frames to celebrate its traders in an artistic installation.
See Shrewsbury from a different angle with Roof Top Tours at the Market Hall, giving visitors a chance to view the town’s historic townscape from on high as part of national Heritage Open Days.
Explore Shrewsbury's award-winning Market Hall this summer and find amazing produce, cool places to eat and drink, unique art, handcrafts and more.
Shrewsbury Market Hall’s late night events are returning for 2019, launching on Saturday April 6.
Shrewsbury’s award-winning Market Hall has some very special Easter events lined up and more of their popular late night events are scheduled too.
Traders at Shrewsbury Market Hall are celebrating after making the shortlist for a top national award for the second year in a row.
Shrewsbury’s national awarding-winning indoor market is hosting festive late nights in the lead up to Christmas.
Shrewsbury Market Hall is staging a line-up of late night festive events in the lead up to Christmas, including an extra popular Saturday Late Night.
Shrewsbury Market Hall is urging its customers to get behind its entry into the national Farm Shop & Deli Awards.
Shrewsbury Market Hall is throwing open its doors for another of its popular late night events on Saturday September 1.
A mountaintop is said to be one of the most romantic places in the world to pop the question but for one Shrewsbury man the rooftop of the town’s Market Hall was the perfect setting.
An international artist, dubbed “The Banksy of the Bird World”, has painted a giant mural inside Shrewsbury Market Hall.


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The 2011 Pride Family Brands Manufacturer Representative Awards were recently announced in Chicago. Sales Representative of the Year was awarded to Michael Urkowitz. Members of the Pride sales team also were recognized for Summer Winds Brand Specialty Sales Representative of the Year, Most Improved Territory Award and Prospecting Award.
Online PR News – 25-September-2011 – – Pride Family Brands, luxury casual furniture designer and manufacturer, recently acknowledged members of its sales representative force for superior achievements during the 2010-2011 sales year. The awards ceremony was held during the International Casual Furniture and Accessories Market in Chicago. The Sales Representative of the Year award was presented to Michael Urkowitz (pictured) of Michael Urkowitz Associates. The award recognized Michael's overall excellence in territory growth, sales growth, customer service and product knowledge. Urkowitz, who also received the prestigious award in 2008, is Pride Family Brands' patio specialty representative for the Mid Atlantic region including Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC and Fairfax County Virginia. He has represented the product lines of Pride Family Brands since 2003.
The Specialty Sales Representative of the Year for the company's Summer Winds brand was presented to Steve Tunnicliffe who serves customers in the mid-west region including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. Don Bennett and HC Haynes were awarded the Prospecting Award. Bennett - Haynes Associates represent Pride Family Brands in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. The Most Improved Territory award was presented to the sales representative in Illinois and Wisconsin, Doug Becht, of Jack Becht, Ltd.
"Each year with the presentation of these awards, we are proud to acknowledge the hard work and professionalism that is represented by these individuals as well as the entire Pride sales team," said Rory Rehmert, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Pride Family Brands. "This had been a successful year for our entire company and we are once again proud of the accomplishments of our team as well as the overall quality manner in which they represent our company throughout the casual industry."
For more information about Pride Family Brands and their distinguished lines of casual furniture visit www.pridefamilybrands.com or contact 954-735-9800.


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The man who owns Kohr's Frozen Custard, Inc. says his store wasn't even operating when the boardwalk fire started in Seaside Park on Thursday afternoon.
"The walk-ins [large refrigerators] were cleaned out, the breakers were off, the store was de-energized," Kohr said. He said they were essentially cleaning up and putting the store to sleep for the winter.
Kohr's sits near the site where the fire is believed to have started around 2:20 p.m. According to the first call for help, witnesses said it began under the boardwalk. It spread quickly through four blocks of businesses in Seaside Park and neighboring Seaside Heights, Ocean County, New Jersey.
Kohr said he was at a local hardware store about 20 minutes away when a manager back at the custard shop alerted him that he smelled smoke. Kohr says he left his shopping cart and raced toward the store. When he got to the bridge between Toms River and the barrier island where Seaside Park is located, Kohr said he could see the smoke
"This is so unreal," said Kohr. His business is one of at least 30 that were destroyed or damaged by the fire.
Kohr, who grew up greeting customers at the counter, said the frozen custard shop was "not my second home, it was my first home." He says his heart goes out to all the neighboring business owners and customers.
Kohr said Thursday morning that he had not been interviewed by investigators and had not heard from any officials.
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office is asking anyone with pictures or video to please contact them. With the help of federal investigators, a local task force is investigating the boardwalk fire. They're hoping pictures and video will help them determine where and how the fire started.
Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor, said investigators especially want to see who was congregating in the area right before the fire began.


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With inflation running at record highs and wages stagnating, a trip to a UK supermarket for the weekly shop can be an anxious experience.
Businesses say they are trying to support staff who are feeling the pinch during the cost of living crisis, but can’t afford to hand out large pay rises to cover the gap.
So are they telling the truth? We take a look at the stats.
My salary has barely increased in a decade. Is this normal? You’re certainly not alone. Over the past 15 years, average wages in the UK have risen only a fraction. With the cost of living going up sharply, everyone is feeling worse off. In the three months to January 2023, pay grew by 5.7%, which sounds great – but when adjusted for inflation it actually fell by 3.2%.
How much am I missing? According to the Resolution Foundation, if wages had continued to rise at the speed they did before the 2008 financial crash, the average worker would now be taking home £11,000 a year more than they are today.
Ouch. Will it get any worse? Unfortunately, yes. According to an analysis by the TUC of the latest data from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, real wages – which means your wages adjusted for inflation – in the UK are set to fall by 3% during 2023.
Hang on, I already can’t afford my bills. Everyone is struggling due to the rise in the cost of living. Inflation ran at 9% overall in 2022, topping 10% before Christmas – a record high – and is predicted to be 6% during 2023.
So why isn’t my company paying me more? Bosses say they are “trapped” between a desire to help staff and the financial impact of inflation on business costs. According to The Work Foundation, less than 20% of businesses said they had awarded pay rises to help employees tackle inflation and only 17% had paid out one-off bonuses. Two-fifths said they had experienced increases in production costs.
No wonder everyone is on strike! Exactly. And staff feeling undervalued could also be contributing to the crisis around UK labour productivity, which only increased by 0.3% in 2022 – which in itself wasn't much better than the average trend dating back to 2008 of 2%.
Maybe I should get another job that pays more. That’s not a bad idea. Last year active job vacancies rose to 1.3 million despite real wages falling, a head scratcher for economists who usually observe that wages rise when the demand for staff out-strips labour supply.
What should I be looking for? Jobs in IT, finance and law were among the best paid in 2022, however everyone in low-paid work will be getting a pay rise this weekend as the new minimum wage of £10.18 comes into force. Happily, fewer people earn the minimum wage or less now than before the pandemic, according to the ONS (the orange line above).
Is the government doing anything about it? Chancellor Jeremy Hunt described the current inflation rate as “dangerous” in his budget speech earlier this month and committed to bringing it down to sustainable levels. But negotiations over pay and conditions with many public sector unions have yet to be concluded because the government won’t agree to union demands for higher wages.


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While many are pushing the possible benefits of cultured meat, there are understandably those who oppose it - even if they agree that the current method of animal farming is not sustainable.
"Promote veganism instead," Dr Matthew Cole, Associate and Associate Lecturer at The Open University and former Chair of the Vegan Society, told techradar. "That's the already-existing solution to exploiting animals that's better for health, environment and of course for the animals themselves."
The issue is veganism is a tough sell in a world where 90% of people eat meat.
"The IVM (in-vitro meat, or cultured meat) movement is generally quick to disparage veganism as 'impossible' from what I've read, which is obvious nonsense - ask any vegan," Dr Cole argues. "What holds veganism back is the political and social environment, which we could change if we had the collective will."
Dr Cole also believes that other social issues would be improved if eating meat was taken off the agenda:
"I'm also concerned that IVM means ceding control of food to corporations (who will surely step in if the technology ever proves viable)," he explains. "Veganism lends itself to community growing schemes, allotments, school projects, etc. rather than dependency on complex technology."
Some of the opposition to cultured meat, and even the idea that there's a "yuck" factor in eating something from the lab, is tied up with worry about our over-reliance on new technology. There's also concern about genetic modification and what some scientists could do with the new method of food production, which will need thorough research and regulation to be considered a staple part of human intake.
However, Datar argues that some of this worry about what humans will be putting in their mouths is based on misconception: "What's different is not the product. What's different is the process to get there."
Possibly beneficial alternatives to the status quo also tend to take a while to catch on, particularly if they're expensive to develop, as a simple look at electric cars or renewable energy proves.
The existing meat industry hasn't shown much interest so far, but once the scale issue is solved that will change. If there's profit to be made, they'll be there. The idea of a morally bankrupt conglomerate with a huge meat factory isn't hard to picture, but it doesn't have to go that way.
"My utopian vision for cultured meat is that there are lots of people producing it in the same way that there are a lots of people producing beer right now," suggests Datar.
"There are still those huge breweries that are owned by gigantic companies, but there are also microbreweries and people who home brew. The general idea of brewing beer is not protected, but every individual recipe could be."
The meat factory of the future, or "carnery" as Datar suggests, might not look dissimilar to a brewery, where it's a more controlled setting to produce meat.
How long before we can buy cultured meat? Professor Post thinks we'll get there "four to five years down the line" and Memphis Meats CEO, Uma Valeti, recently outlined the brand's plan to be in restaurants and high-end stores within three years and on supermarket shelves by 2021.
If we are to get there within the next five years, Datar believes it's going to require a serious investment. Right now there are only a few people working on cultured meat development and funding is sparse.
"Because there's so much media attention it seems like this is going to come along and science will save us and there's a huge community of researchers working on it, but in fact it is not like that at all. We're raising money in a philanthropic way so we can fund early stage research," explains Datar.
"Our long term goal is working with governments to create funds for cellular agriculture."
The pressure to find sustainable alternatives to the current setup can only grow and profit-driven private companies might not be the best way to get there - so it seems if the conditions are right and regulation used, governmental help might be possible.
Further research is definitely needed to find out if cultured meat could be the next major breakthrough, or to uncover more possible stumbling blocks before we rid the world of billions of cows.
So could carnivores be chowing down on lab-grown meat by 2030? It's a distinct possibility - but even if all the hurdles are overcome there's still a major exercise in convincing the meat-eating population that it's fine to eat.
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Google has confirmed the launch of the Pixel 5a later this year. The launch date remains unknown. However, we can expect the device to launch at the Google I/O in May. The company has also confirmed that its upcoming A-series smartphone will launch only in the US and Japan. Ahead of the launch, some key details of the smartphone have leaked. According to a new report, Google’s upcoming Pixel smartphone will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC. This is the same SoC found on the Pixel 5. Let’s take a look at the Pixel 5a specifications and other leaked details.
Google Pixel 5a leaked specifications reveal key performance unit details
Google Pixel 5a is slated to launch later this year. Leaked specs suggest that the phone will be very similar to the Pixel 5.
The latest Android 12 Developer 3 preview hints that the 5a will feature a Snapdragon 765G SoC, 9to5Google reported. The developer preview has references to the device codenamed “Barbet”, which is the Pixel 5a. Alongside the model number is the mention of another codename “SM7250”, which is the Snapdragon 765G SoC found on the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5.
Design renders of the upcoming Google smartphone have leaked in the past. The only visual change spotted is on the back of the device. Unlike the Pixel 4a, the 5a will come with a dual-camera setup. We can expect it to house a 12MP main camera and a 16MP ultrawide lens. There is also a third sensor, which could be a PDAF sensor.
The phone will sport a 6.2-inch flat OLED display with an FHD+ resolution. It will have a tiny cutout on the top left corner for the front camera. The rear panel also houses a fingerprint scanner. Other Google Pixel 5a specifications include a 3.5mm headphone jack and stereo speakers.
What are your thoughts on Google’s Pixel line of smartphones? Do let us know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading till the end of this article. For more such informative and exclusive tech content, head over to our Facebook page


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May 16, 2007,
Seattle — It took only a few hours last Thursday for Pacific Rim Import Corp. to enter the gift industry’s annals, as some $18 million worth of product and assets were sold in an on-site and online auction.
But once underway, the bidding was rapid fire and the merchandise that defined Pac Rim — accent furniture, garden accessories, tabletop, home décor, Christmas and Halloween products, most in their original cartons — were sold off to bidders from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The auction also included all Pac Rim customer lists, sales detail histories and 2007 order bookings; Pac Rim, Fidalgo's logos, trademarks, websites and domain names and other sales intangibles; Life Impressions trademarks and copyright applications pending.
Bidders who made small purchases were expected to pick up their merchandise May 11, the day after the auction, while the larger bidders have until month's end — May 29 — to pick up their product.
No doubt there will be reminders of the company as its diverse array of merchandise begins to show up in the marketplace. There will be reminders as well this coming market season as buyers pass the showrooms in market centers around the United States that once belonged to Pacific Rim.
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AmericasMart ICON Honorees
Excellence and superior achievement in the home and gift industry were recognized in July at AmericasMart's eighth annual ICON Honors. Enjoy these video stories celebrating the 2017 award recipients: Spicher and Company, Bloomingville, Wolf Gourmet, Her Majesty's English Tea Room, Kurt S. Adler, Inc., and Chris Rosse, Rosse and Associates.


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Chicago Fire soccer club is an American professional soccer club based in Bridgeview, Chicago. The club were founded in 1997 and they currently play in the MLS. Chicago play their home games at Toyota Park which holds 20,000 people and they wear red and blue home shirts which are supplied by german brand adidas. The club play a rivalry with FC Dallas and Los Angeles Galaxy.
Chicago Fire play their home games in red shirts with a white band around the middle and a white left sleeve, red shorts and socks.
MLS franchise Chicago Fire prepare for the upcoming 2016 season by officially releasing their brand-new adidas manufactured home shirt. In powerful fashion adidas have stroked patriotic club colours of vivid red across the new Chicago Fire home shirt of which flows from the front to the back pane [...]
MLS side Chicago Fire have officially launched their new away kit for the upcoming 2015 MLS season. Using last year's home shirt for this season, the brand new away kit for Chicago Fire is white and is inspired by the Chicago Flag boasting sky blue, white and red horizontal print on the front [...]
Kicking off their 2014 MLS campaign against Portland Timbers, Chicago Fire have launched their new home kit for the upcoming season. Supplied by adidas, the new Chicago Fire home shirt features an eye catching red to dark blue gradient design [...]
Chicago Fire are inviting fans to choose their new third shirt for the new season. The club had initially asked fans to submit their designs for the new third kit [...]
Major League Soccer cub Chicago Fire have revealed their new 2012 shirts following an announcement that they have reached a sponsorship deal with the Quaker Oats Company which will se the company's logo featured across the front of the club's home and away shirts. Throughout the partnership, Quak [...]
The Chicago Fire are one of the USA's Major League Soccer franchises. They were founded in 1997 and play their home games at Soldier Field a 61,500 seater stadium at 425 East McFetridge Drive, Chicago, Illinois which they currently share with the Chicago B
The club have had several well known players to play for the club including Hristo Stoichkov, Paulo Wanchope, Arne Friedrich, Cuahtemoc Blanco, Guillermo Franco, Pavel Pardo, Freddie Ljungberg, DaMarcus Beasley, Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra.


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Chinese market of significant strategic importance as Chinese modernization shares opportunities with world: BMW senior official
Reiterating its long-term commitment to China, German auto giant BMW AG is determined to become a partner on the Chinese path to modernization, which shares opportunities with the world, according to Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
The remarks were made on March 26 in Beijing during the China Development Forum 2023, when Zipse pointed out that the growth and prosperity of BMW's business in China would also inject new impetus and create new opportunities for the company's business in the global markets.
As BMW's largest single market, China is of significant strategic importance, Zipse noted, introducing that the German company has established in China its largest R&D layout outside of Germany, as well as the largest production layout among all countries.
Since 2010, the BMW plant in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province has received total investment of more than 83 billion yuan (about 12.06 billion U.S. dollars), growing into a cornerstone of the company's development in China and a model of Sino-German trade cooperation.
In 2023, BMW will offer 11 pure electric models in the Chinese market, as the company is currently moving forward with the transition of electric, digital and sustainable development. Citing the cooperation between BMW and China's electric vehicle battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) as an example, Zipse pointed out that not only has BMW's investment created many jobs in China, but also has CATL's investment in Europe brought prosperity to the region. "The transformation toward e-mobility provides opportunities for both European industries and Chinese enterprises," said Zipse.
While sharing development opportunities with the world, Chinese modernization also promotes innovation and sustainable technology development on a global scale, building bridges of friendship across the globe and sending out persuasive messages of multilateral cooperation, according to Zipse.


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A new online savings provider called icesave.co.uk has entered the competitive UK savings market in a move that has been dubbed as "great news for savers".
Sean Gardner, the chief executive of financial comparison site MoneyExpert.com, said icesave.co.uk's entrance should be welcomed as it could potentially start a "savings price war".
The new company, which is under foreign ownership but is looking to make inroads into the profitable UK market, offers accounts including a 5.2 per cent cash account for investments of £250 or above.
"[This rate] is nearly double the average of 2.86 per cent," Mr Gardner noted. "This goes to show how all savers have a duty to review their accounts regularly."
Mr Gardner recommended anyone whose savings rate was below average to "kick it into touch" and to keep abreast of the latest accounts to "make your money work as hard as possible for you".
He also predicted a rise in interest rates from the Bank of England in the near future and said consumers would do well to wait until this happened as "many providers will pass this on to savers by hiking their rates even further".To view and compare various savings accounts, click here.
© Adfero Ltd


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By Bob Ivry |
July 22, 2013
Commodity trading by big banks is in jeopardy as the Federal Reserve reconsiders letting banks ship oil and store metal.
By Aya Takada and Yasumasa Song |
March 28, 2013
A slump in the yen against the dollar may be behind the Tokyo Commodity Exchange's first profit in six years.
The bears are having beef tonight
Bitreserve raises nearly $10 million; Coinbase funding global expansion
Have retail sales become irrelevant?
Fed up with 'considerable time'?
Lower crude produces winners & losers...
Simplifying fibonacci for traders


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Jute diversified product manufacturing unit to be set up in Mongla EPZ
DHAKA, Nov 23 (BSS)- A jute diversified products manufacturing industry will be set up in Mongla Export Procession Zone at a cost of US$ 36.94 million.
Rupsha Jute Diversification Limited, a fully Bangladesh owned company, signed an agreement with Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) today for setting up the industry.
BEPZA general manager (Investment Promotion) A.Z.M. Azizur Rahman and managing director of Rupsha Jute Diversification Limited Major (retd) Md. Modasser Hossain signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations, a BEPZA press release said.
The industrial unit is expected to create employment opportunity for 2,052 people.


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Workers Receive Bonuses Based on Company Reaching Consolidated Net Profit Targets
Phoenix, AZ (July 02, 2015) – OpenWorks, one of America’s leading integrated facility services franchises, recently launched an initiative that shares the company’s profits directly with their employees and rewards them for their contributions to the success of the franchise.
In January, OpenWorks began a net profit sharing program for all of its employees across the county. The company will provide bonus payments to their employees based on if the company approaches, meets or exceeds their targeted net profit goals. The bonus amounts are determined by a percentage of the employees’ pro-rated salaries.
OpenWorks’ net profit sharing plan rewards employees with bonus payments through three tiers of payouts based on the company budget.
OpenWorks established this initiative as a way to motivate and incentivize their workers, and increase engagement across various regions and departments. The positive effects of the program have already been realized, as the company reached their target bonus in Q1 of 2015. All OpenWorks employees received their first bonuses in early May.
OpenWorks Founder and CEO Eric Roudi said the profit sharing concept was a way to drive engagement among its employees and departments while rewarding them for their contributions to the company.
“We all work together to achieve the same goal at OpenWorks, and we believe people should be rewarded for their performance,” said Roudi. “When OpenWorks succeeds, so do our outstanding employees throughout the system.”
View full press release here.


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LG 'Enlightens' Verizon Wireless's Budget Lineup
Verizon Wireless today announced the LG VS-700 Enlighten, a budget Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone. The Enlighten features a 3.2-inch 320 x 480 display, 800MHz processor, sideways slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and video capture. Other specs include Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, microSD card support, seven home screen panels, and 3G mobile hotspot. The LG Enlighten will be available online September 22 and in stores September 29 for $79.99 after a $50 mail in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.
AD article continues below...
Sep 30, 2011
Virgin Mobile USA today announced the addition of two Android handsets to its pre-paid lineup, the HTC Wildfire S, and the LG Optimus Slider. The Wildfire S will be Virgin Mobile's first device from HTC.
Sep 14, 2020
The first phone in LG's "Explorer Project" series is the LG Wing, a phone with a unique swivel display design. The 6.8-inch full-HD OLED main display swivels up to reveal a 3.9-inch second screen.
Aug 18, 2020
Verizon will start selling the LG Velvet this Friday, August 21st, for $700. Verizon has a US exclusive on the Aurora Red color.
Jul 21, 2020
LG today finally revealed the US launch details for its design-centric flagship phone for 2020, the Velvet. The Velvet will be offered by all three major US carriers, starting with AT&T tomorrow.
Jul 13, 2020
US carriers have launched a flurry of new entry-level phones from LG and Samsung in recent weeks. The phones include three new models from each of the two manufacturers.
Keyboards. . .


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OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg has been named Africa’s leading airport in the 2016 World Travel Awards for Africa and the Indian Ocean.
This comes after South Africa’s Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport in Durban and OR Tambo International Airport were three out of the seven airports nominated for Africa’s Leading Airport award for 2016.
Apart from the SA airports, other African airport nominees were Cairo International Airport in Egypt, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Mohammed V International Airport in Morocco.
OR Tambo ousted all of the aforementioned airports on the continent to claim the top laurels for the 23rd World Travel Awards, voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide.
The winners of Africa and the Indian Ocean were announced at a gala event hosted by Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est on the northern tip of Zanzibar, off Tanzania’s coast.
Among the winners was Kenya Airways, recognised as both Africa’s Leading Airline and Africa’s Leading Airline for Business Class. In winning the leading airline award, Kenya Airways unseated SA flag carrier South African Airways in the category.
Other South African companies crowned leaders in Africa were online booking site Travelstart, crowned ‘Africa’s Leading Online Travel Agency’, and Rhino Africa, Singita Game Reserves and Shambala Private Reserve which were all crowned leading safari companies in Africa.
In other categories, Nairobi Serena Hotel in Kenya took the title of Africa’s Leading Green Hotel, while Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination went to the Maldives.
A full list of the winners from the World Travel Awards Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony can be seen here.
The World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.


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Dec 28, 2017
KYOTO - The heir of a store specializing in a confectionary style with more than 300 years of tradition in Japan's ancient capital is hoping her youthful reimagining of "yatsuhashi" sweets will help attract a new generation of Kyoto locals and carry on its legend.
Kanako Suzuka, daughter of the owner of the famous Shogoin Yatsuhashi Sohonten Co., has transformed the traditional treats into delicate and colorful miniatures with her new "nikiniki" brand.
The 35-year-old said that while yatsuhashi remains popular among tourists who visit Kyoto, it is sad to see how it has become more of a souvenir than a common snack for locals.
"The nikiniki brand is an introduction to the original yatsuhashi," Suzuka said. "I am hoping that nikiniki will be the catalyst to bring back the Kyoto natives, especially the younger generation and have them enjoy yatsuhashi more."
Yatsuhashi has been the most famous treat from Kyoto since 1689, honoring Yatsuhashi Kengyo, a famous harp player who passed away in 1685.
They usually come in two basic styles: the harp-shaped thin brown cookies with a crispy perfection, or white floppy steamed layers with sweetened bean paste inside. Japanese nikki, or cinnamon, provides yatsuhashi with its essential final touch.
Suzuka has completely recreated the yatsuhashi image to offer a whole new lineup that is almost too cute to eat.
The nikiniki brand uses colorful layers of the steamed version that are cut into various shapes or rolled up into tiny pieces that are intricately folded and put together.
In March, there are dolls in kimonos for Japan's Hinamatsuri -- or girls' day -- festival, while Christmas sees Santa Claus and his reindeer in miniature, edible form, and characters from Japan's old fairy tales or fancy gems are made throughout the year.
At the store in downtown Kyoto, customers are also introduced to a selection of jams, including strawberry, apple and rum-soaked raisins, and can wrap their choices in yatsuhashi layers that turn into a blossom.
While Kyoto's elder generation still visits the Shogoin store that has been in operation at the same site since the Edo period (1603-1867), Suzuka has met young people who have never even tasted yatsuhashi. There also seems to be a perception that nikki is a somewhat unusual ingredient.
"But I think the (cute) image of the nikiniki products have attracted more young people and has made it easier for them to give yatsuhashi a try," Suzuka said. "I've been told 'hey, I didn't know I could eat yatsuhashi!'"
For Suzuka, yatsuhashi has been part of her life since, as a baby, her mother fed her pieces of the steamed version. Suzuka always ate it as her daily treat and her playmates were the employees of the company run by her father.
By the time Suzuka was in elementary school, she already knew that she wanted to succeed her family's company.
After graduating from the prestigious Kyoto University in 2005, Suzuka joined the family business a year later after working at a major research firm, and launched the nikiniki brand in 2011.
The concept came naturally to her as she had always imagined as a little girl how cute her favorite snacks would be if they were also pink or the shape of a heart.
But while the nikiniki style may seem like a totally new approach in the Shogoin yatsuhashi's near 330-year history, Suzuka says the basics have not changed.
The proportion of nikki used in nikiniki products has stayed exactly the same as in traditional yatsuhashi.
"The most important thing is not to change the taste of the yatsuhashi. That's one aspect I want to stay loyal to for our long-time customers," she said, adding that the family philosophy has always been to "respect the local area and its people."
"We are using the original yatsuhashi to make nikiniki products, so in that sense, nothing has been changed," she said.
Suzuka often gets her inspiration from traditional Japanese tea lessons where she wears kimonos that reflect perennial flowers. Meanwhile, the Japanese waka poetry she studies has offered a whole new sensibility toward the four seasons.
The heir has also trotted around the globe, studying English in England and taking pre-MBA courses at the University of California at San Diego as an undergrad, all of which has helped her acquire a stronger sense of her identity as a Kyoto native.
The nikiniki outlet in the corner of downtown Kyoto is now visited by male and female customers of all ages and backgrounds.
A 37-year-old woman said she had never enjoyed yatsuhashi until nikiniki, despite being a Kyoto local. "I now buy them for myself and even bring my friends here," she said.
For now, Suzuka has no plans to expand her nikiniki business outside of Kyoto and hopes that it will attract more people to her hometown. "I want Kyoto to progress and shine...It really makes me happy when people tell me nikiniki brought them here," she said.
Kyodo News Plus is an online publication delivering the latest news from Japan. Kyodo News Plus collaborates with City-Cost to bring those stories related to lifestyle and culture to foreigners resident in Japan. For the latest news updates visit the official site at https://english.kyodonews.net


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Blog: Whisky and the Windsors - a right royal pairing
Andy Morton | 27 May 2014
The UK's rock star royals Will and Kate are set to give their son George his first taste of Scotch whisky this week. Not literally, of course.
Instead, he'll be visiting, along with his parents, the Glenturret distillery in Perthshire, said by some to be the oldest whisky distillery in Scotland.
It's a big honour for the Edrington-owned site, which produces The Famous Grouse and indeed is home to the brand's visitor centre. But it's unlikely to be little Georgie's last encounter with Scotch, given the royal support the spirit has received over the years.
Princess Anne was on hand to open Pernod Ricard's new bottling line at the company's Paisley factory last year, while last month the Queen presented the visiting Pope Francis with a bottle from her Scottish estate.
The two brands - royal and liquid - are a good fit considering the house of Windsor's connections to the huntin', shootin' and fishin' side of Scotland beloved by Scotch marketeers. The family, after all, owns vast acres of grouse land in the country. Plus, with Scotch exports continuing to grow, it's good PR for the royals to be connected to a UK business success story.
The spirit has even helped them out in at least one emergency at Buckingham Palace. When Michael Fagan broke into the Queen's bedroom back in 1982, he was, according to reports, calmed down with a tot of whisky. The brand? Famous Grouse, of course. Which means this week's Glenturret visit may be less of an honour, and more of a favour returned.
Major wine players flocked to China ready for online giant Alibaba's 9.9 Global Wine and Spirits Festival, which took place on 9 September....
William Grant & Sons has reported rising full-year sales and profits as it continues to move away from distributing third-party brands....
In May, Heineken's CEO, Jean-François van Boxmeer, called Vietnam the "poster child" for international beer thanks to strong demographics and growing demand....
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- Diageo Australia's commercial head to step down
- William Grant sees 2015 sales, profits lift
- Stoli Group CEO Rob Cullins to step down
- Luxury and e-commerce a "natural fit" - Diageo
- Diageo merges US, Canada spirits units
- Global gin insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- The Next Seven Big Beverage Markets
- Global non-Scotch whiskies insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global rum insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global RTD insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends


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To their credit, the $599 model has a larger display than the iPad. But rollout sounds problematic:
Kno would not say exactly how many it has ordered for its first
tablet production run–the device is being built by China’s
Foxconn–but co-founder and CEO Osman Rashid said in an interview
earlier today with BoomTown that units would number “in the
Rashid said the Kno tablet will initially be aimed at 10 college
campuses across the U.S., although he also declined to name them.
“Thousands”? In the meantime, Apple will be selling over a million iPads a month.
★ Tuesday, 9 November 2010


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New Product November 26
New Product November 23
Mohu – makers of consumer-favorite over-the-air antennas – has entered the “world of high-end” audio. Yes, you read that right. Mohu has released the BeBox, a $499 portable sound system with a built-in Android tablet.
New Product November 20
Leica is one of those iconic brands that serves as a symbol nearly as much as it executes its function. The German optics and camera manufacturer has been cranking out stunning designs for nearly 170 years. From a sexy set of binoculars to limited edition cameras, Leica continues to impress with old-school styling and top-of-the-line technology.
However, one wouldn’t call Leica an affordable brand by any stretch of the imagination. So when it announced its lowest-priced M Series camera, our ears perked up.
New Product November 19
Well, it was bound to happen. Finally every smart home New Toy of the Day has converged into one product. D-Link’s new Komfy Smart Home Device is a combination surveillance camera, light switch, temperature and air quality monitor that pushes out all the usual notifications if something goes awry.
So why is this notable? Honestly, there is some merit to having one product that does it all, as opposed to the mismatch of different brands and mediums for keeping your whole home connected. More details below.
New Product November 18
Apple TV, Roku players, Fire TV sticks and a handful of other streaming devices are invading our homes. Despite the different ecosystems, most of these set-top add-ons carry out the same task and are limited to a handful of streaming services. While TiVo has made some strides in bridging the gap between online and traditional content, it still isn’t perfect.
Instead of introducing another streaming aggregate, a startup by the name of GENII has developed a new media player, called CAST, that collects feeds from all your sources and combines them in one location. The kicker? You can stream those sources to other rooms in your house or to your friend’s living room as long as they also have a CAST. Sounds too good to be true, right?
GENII says its perfectly legal.
New Product November 17
We get it. Drink more water. Turns out, it’s still pretty hard to do. A new product from Mark One has its eyes set on increasing your daily water intake. The $99 Pryme Vessyl tracks your drinking habits and reminds you throughout the day to increase your intake until you’ve reached your designated goal for the day.
It’s not as simple as that, Mark One has developed a proprietary algorithm that figures out how much water is needed to help you perform at your peak. The Pryme Vessyl already has one believer: Apple. More details below.
New Product November 16
New Product November 13
It seems like everyone has a wearable these days. Apple Watch is a favorite amongst fanboys and Fitbit appears set for a huge holiday season, with Black Friday deals throughout many of our ad leaks. But what about those that would prefer a more classic look as opposed to the techie flavorings that are so popular right now?
What Watch out of Switzerland has an answer to that question. Its Bluetooth-connected watches are coming to the United States and are worth a look. With classic and modern stylings, plus iPhone/Android connectivity, these new timepieces are set to make a splash.
Update (11/17 2:15pm): Amazon now has the The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Wii U remaster/amiibo bundle in stock for pre-order.
During its Direct event yesterday, Nintendo made a few new announcements with regards to Zelda and Mega Man. Both franchises will be seeing new amiibo along with titles set to release next year. Head below to find out more about the latest Zelda HD remake, the new golden Mega Man and where to pre-order: expand full story
New Product November 12
Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity on DSLR cameras is not a new phenomenon. There are plenty of cameras on the market that currently offer this feature set to consumers. But there are some disadvantages to using Wi-Fi directly with a camera: it can drain your phone and DSLR battery quickly, requires your device to be locked into your camera’s network, and can be limited to a short distance depending on the setting.
Alpine Labs has a plan to improve on that. Its new Pulse remote plugs into the USB port on a number of Canon and Nikon cameras and attaches to the hotshoe mount to add iPhone-connected controls to your DSLR. It has a simplistic interface and design plus it’s low energy connectivity make it particularly noteworthy.
New Product November 11
Just a few weeks after launching a new slim iPhone 6/s battery case and power bank, Mophie is back again today with five new external batteries. We’ve seen a lot of power banks in our day – and regularly have deals too – but the new Mophie powerstations use an aluminum shell that, from pictures alone, standout from the pack.
Head below for more details.
Just when we thought the Roku line-up was set for Black Friday, the streaming media giant has unveiled a new “special edition” model. While the most recent addition added 4K streaming capabilities, this fresh release is focused on one standout feature: price. How cheap? Move over Fire TV, Chromecast and even Roku’s own streaming stick, this thing has you all beat.
New Product November 10
Good news for prosumer videographers: 4K-capable equipment continues to drop in price. After DJI first made a splash with its new stable camera last month, American-based drone manufacturer Yuneec has introduced its own 4K option. Even better news? Its price tag comes in at just over 15% less than its competitor. Head below for more details on the new Tycoon ActionCam from Yuneec. expand full story
New Product November 9
Sometimes getting a quality internet connection to your home theater or gaming console can be a frustrating proposition. If you live in an older home, you likely have two things going against you from the outset: no ethernet jacks built-in and materials in your walls that can cause interference. The reality is that even the strongest consumer routers won’t do the job alone.
This issue can be solved one of two ways, with either a powerline adapter or a Wi-Fi range extender. TP-Link is adding to the mix of available extenders today with two new high-powered products that are capable of speeds in excess of 1,750Mbps.
New Product November 6
If I could buy a router and modem that I never had to touch again, I’d pay…and pay well. Seems like I have to reset or manage a setting with a much greater frequency than I’d prefer. Of course, I’m loading it down like a pickup truck with about 19 devices. No matter, a better solution has to be out there.
Luma is hoping to sooth my ailment. With its “surround” multi-router approach, its goal is to provide greater coverage and simplified settings. Kind of like having a couple Google OnHubs around your home.
New Product November 5
iPad cases are a dime a dozen at this point, it seems. It’s hard to stand out in a sea of folios, keyboards and smart covers. But Don’t Panic’s iPad cases have managed to do just that, a few times over. After successfully rolling through a couple of Kickstarter campaigns, the guys behind this intriguing case are back with the third generation. Their campaign video is pretty clever, check it out below.
New Product November 4
The Room franchise is one of the most popular puzzle mystery games on mobile, with the first two games in the series garnering a 5 star rating from nearly a half a million reviews across the App Store and Google Play. Today, developer Fireproof Games took to its Twitter account to announce the release of The Room Three.
Unfortunately, the game is only available to iOS users as of right now. Fireproof Games has no specific dates for Android, but says it is currently working hard on it.
Head below for the release trailer and to find out more about the latest entry in the BAFTA and Apple Game of the Year award winning series: expand full story
After centuries and what seems like a significant amount of innovation, people are still farming with similar tools from 100 years ago. Gas and diesel driven equipment have become smarter and more intuitive with features like auto-drive or built-in touchscreen interfaces. At the end of the day, a farmer is still required to sit in the cab and plow along rows after rows.
Bosch wants to flip farming upside down with its new Deepfield Robotics branch of its company. The star of the show is Bosch’s BoniRob “adaptable multi-purpose robotic platform”. Honestly, it looks like something out of Star Wars. But it promises to simplify a number of farming tasks in an efficient manner.
New Product November 3
We’ve covered our fair share of electric bikes and transportation here at 9to5Toys. And you can find even more at our sister-site Electrek. Although interest is rapidly increasing here in the United States, the idea of going purely electric in any area of our lives still seems largely intimidating for some.
Thankfully, new projects are popping up each day that make that transition friendlier than ever before. The latest of which comes from Germany’s Mellow Boards. This customizable electric skateboard system can be added to an existing deck or purchased as a pre-assembled longboard. With its arguably affordable price point and modern design, Mellow Boards is set to take off.
New Product November 2
I’m not musically inclined. Nor do I pretend to be. Give me a Rock Band Drum Kit and I’ll get after it, but otherwise, instruments are completely intimidating. Like many of you out there, I enjoy tapping my pencil along to the beat or playing the bongos on my desk to my favorite song. If only there was a way to translate that into real music…
That’s where Mogees comes in. A simple iPhone add-on that detects vibration and translates it into music. So your desk full of accessories instantly becomes a drum kit. Or a kitchen sink is suddenly transformed into a synthesizer. The opportunities are endless…
New Product October 30
The discrepancy between first and third-world energy supplies is incredible. Nearly 20% of the world’s population lives without access to common amenities that many of us take for granted. Panasonic has set out with a new line of solar storage products, under its eneloop collection, that aims to provide lasting energy from the sun.
While it will fill an obvious need in electricity-poor countries, it also might not be a bad idea for your own shed or garage. Solar powered batteries have come a long way in recent years and Panasonic plans on leveraging that technology around the world.
New Product October 29
It’s not healthy to look at your iPhone before bed. I know, we all do it. The white light of your device actually sends signals to your brain to produce energy, which isn’t ideal before you start counting sheep. That tricky thing called melatonin is actually pretty important. What if a lightbulb could actually help manage all that?
That’s where GE comes in with its new line of smart LED lightbulbs, simply called ‘C’. These two lights offer different variable settings that adjust throughout the day to improve your circadian rhythm. Think Hue meets Advil PM…or something like that.


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Imagine spending the night in a glass capsule suspended 1,200 feet up a mountainside in the Andes at this "hanging" hotel. » Read More
By: Evelyn Cheng
Wal-Mart is planning to test Tesla's electric tractor trailers and has preordered 15, the retailer said Friday. » Read More
By: Eugene Kim
Amazon has quietly launched Relay, its first app for truck drivers that makes cargo pick-up and drop-off faster. » Read More
By: Ari Levy
Pure Daily Care was generating millions of dollars a year on Amazon until a rival brand used scam tactics to bring it down. » Read More
European Union workers get at least 20 paid vacation days per year.
The rapid development of Hurricane Harvey left refiners on Texas' Gulf Coast with less time than they usually have to prepare for a storm.
Here are four smart steps Senate health committee can take to shore up Obamacare, says Consultant Robert Laszewski.
Home prices are higher at virtually every price point, but the gains are biggest at the low end where demand is highest.
Here are five tips from the pros on how to put together a successful college funding strategy, even at the 11th hour.
Apple will launch a brand new app store with iOS 11 in September. Here's a peek at what it looks like.
Donald Trump blames Mitch McConnell for making the debt ceiling fight harder, hours after the White House downplays tensions.
Sign of the times in venture capital: promising start-ups are turning down meetings with investors who say too much money is chasing too few great deals.
After spending years touting the Berkshire Hathaway Model, Palihapitiya has created a tech holding company in Buffett's image.
Sallie Krawcheck's storied career on Wall Street gave her the perspective and the money to create an investing start-up for women.
What's driving real estate "is our sense of where we're going and the uncertainty" with the new administration, Robert Shiller said.
Millennials are ditching big-box gyms and signing up for smaller boutique fitness classes that promise a toned body and a fun experience.
A new product from Latch, dubbed the Latch C, will let iPhone owners unlock their apartments and office spaces with an iPhone.
Yes, there are jobs that come with decent pay that don't require a bachelor's degree.
Databricks, a data analytics start-up, raised a $140 million in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz.
As the pendulum swings in favor of a higher minimum wage nationwide, businesses in Miami Beach continue to wage a war inside its own city.
A study finds that people in Philadelphia are still buying sugary drinks, but they're traveling outside city limits to stock up.
About 20 percent of states have already enacted some form of free college tuition, and more legislation is on the way.
The changes, announced Monday evening, are part of CEO Jeff Gennette's first major overhaul efforts in his new role at Macy's.
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration is likely responsible for a slowdown in Hispanics' spending, says Jefferies.


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On Feb. 12, the Southern Miss Activities Council put on a pretty impressive fashion show in the Thad Cochran Center that brought up interesting viewpoints on beauty, fashion and self-esteem.
What is the first thing that pops into your head when you think fashion show? If you said super thin, impossibly beautiful men and women modeling all the latest fashions by all the hottest designers, you would be absolutely correct. However, SMAC committee members Kirisa Mahon, Lindsey Martin and Kierra Garner felt that this was something that had already been done. In their two-month long planning, they decided to take fashion to a completely different level.
They had no intentions of showing people all of the latest fashions.
This fashion show is unique because it is not only a fashion show. It is a commentary on individualism, style and confidence. But it wasn’t just a fashion show; it was a theatrical play as well. Backstage before the fashion show, I spoke with models, organizers and the SMAC organizing committee who shared the same vision of the upcoming show.
The main character, portrayed by Heather Kmiec, is a girl who goes on a fashion adventure to find herself and find her confidence, and the models are there to help her. Style and fashion are about confidence and having self-esteem. So in each skit, when she gets a new piece of clothing from the other models, she finds out something new about herself. For instance, in the last scene when she is given shoes, she learns how to dance.
Mahon took a moment out of her very hectic schedule and introduced me to Kmiec by saying that she was the most important person in the show. Kmiec very modestly laughed it off and talked through her mouthful of Krispie Kreme doughnut about how excited she was. “It’s going to be different and a lot of fun,” Kmiec said.
Martin let me have a bit more insight into the fashion show, what it meant and what it was supposed to be. “We really want to accomplish showing what self-esteem is and confidence,” Martin said. “It’s not all about how you look and with each clothing article (Kmiec) gets, she learns how to use it.”
“It’s more than she’s wearing it and that’s what makes her good,” Martin said. “Furthermore, the fashion show will show people that Southern Miss is not a place where you have to be cool to fit in. It’s a place of acceptance and it’s a place of showing girls that we’re going to be your friends no matter how you dress. We’re all equal.”
The show included clothes from Mostly Macie’s, Salvation Army, Men’s Warehouse, Natalie & Co. and Polly Esther’s Closet. SMAC also enlisted some on-hand help with hair and makeup from the Fashion Merchandising Organization and Gifted Hands Salon.
They even got the dance groups Rhythm Rush, Asso and High Def to help out. The fashion show was followed by a huge dance after party. Girls can now remember the fashion show that was not all about glitz and glamour. The committee hopes girls walked away from the show feeling empowered, confident and beautiful.


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CHICAGO, March 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Domino’s franchise-owned locations are looking to hire about 1,000 new team members across more than 100 stores throughout Greater Chicago. The positions include delivery drivers, customer service representatives, assistant managers and managers.
“Domino’s works hard to serve local communities across the country and Chicago is no different,” said Reece Arroyave, a Chicago-area Domino’s franchise owner. “Stores across this area are continuing to provide pizza to those who are looking for a delicious, hot meal, and at times like this, staffing is critical.”
The increased demand for deliveries has amplified the need for additional team members in Domino’s franchised-owned locations throughout the region.
“While many local, state, and federal rules are closing dine-in restaurants, the opportunity to feed our neighbors through delivery and carryout continues,” said Arroyave. “We want to make sure we’re not only providing food to people, but also delivering opportunity to those who are looking for work.”
Those who are interested in applying for a position should visit jobs.dominos.com.
All Domino’s stores in the U.S. provide a contactless delivery option to customers, while also offering carryout to those who prefer it. To read about what Domino’s is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit biz.dominos.com/web/media/covid-19.
About Domino’s Pizza®
Founded in 1960, Domino’s Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world based on retail sales, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout pizza. It ranks among the world’s top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 17,000 stores in over 90 markets. Domino’s had global retail sales of over $14.3 billion in 2019, with over $7.0 billion in the U.S. and nearly $7.3 billion internationally. In the fourth quarter of 2019, Domino’s had global retail sales of over $4.5 billion, with over $2.2 billion in the U.S. and over $2.3 billion internationally. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for 98% of Domino’s stores as of the fourth quarter of 2019. Emphasis on technology innovation helped Domino’s achieve more than half of all global retail sales in 2019 from digital channels, primarily online ordering and mobile applications. In the U.S., Domino’s generates over 65% of sales via digital channels and has developed several innovative ordering platforms, including those developed for Google Home, Facebook Messenger, Apple Watch, Amazon Echo and Twitter – as well as Domino’s Hotspots®, an ordering platform featuring over 200,000 unique, non-traditional delivery locations. In June 2019, through an announced partnership with Nuro, Domino’s furthered its exploration and testing of autonomous pizza delivery. In late 2019, Domino’s opened the Domino’s Innovation Garage adjacent to its headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to fuel continued technology and operational innovation – while also launching its GPS technology, allowing customers to follow the progress of the delivery driver from store to doorstep.
SOURCE Domino’s Pizza, Inc.


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Start-up phone maker Elephone have released their latest quad-core phone, the Elephone P7 Mini at a low-price of $122.99 with international availability!
The Elephone P7 Mini has surfaced a few times in the past in renders, so it is nice to finally see photos of the real phone emerge and news that it is now officially on sale.
Gizchina News of the week
The P7 Mini isn’t as small as the name may suggest and acutually has a 5-inch display. The phone is available in black or white and boasts a 1.3Ghz quad-core Mediatek processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB memory, dual-SIM, 8 mega-pixel main camera and 2500mAh battery all wrapped up in a 7.9mm body.
Elephone are currently offering the P7 Min through Aliexpress and have even made a discount code so GizChina readers can enjoy a saving of $7! The Elephone P7 Mini coupon code is: Elegizp7.


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New vape shop claiming to help people stop smoking opens in student area
Dunedin vape shop Hi-Fo Vape Club shared product details on TikTok.
A new vape shop has taken down videos appearing to market its “yummy” products to students, but not before they attracted attention from young teens.
Hi-Fo Vape Club in Dunedin opened in March with the purpose, according to its website, of helping people quit smoking.
Videos were posted to its TikTok account with the tags #otagouni and #dunedin, and received comments from people under 18 years old.
In 2020, a new law banned sales of vapes to under-18s, and banned advertising by vape/e-cigarette retailers, manufactures and importers – bringing it closer in line with tobacco law.
* Call for anti-vaping school campaign to stem rise in teens vaping
* Vaping with nicotine more common than smoking among teens
* Hamilton health worker calls for stricter regulation of cigarette sales after son’s addiction
* Vaping rules too little too late?
The law aimed to prevent young people from being attracted to nicotine products. Most vapes had a sweet flavour and colourful packaging.
In Hi-Fo Vape Club’s first video, a person can be seen grabbing a handful of colourful, disposable vapes.
The voiceover and text says: “Omg, we have so many disposables. Who’s gonna help us get rid of all of these?”
“So many yummy flavours !!!!”
High schools are grappling with major issues among students addicted to vaping.
The video received three comments, including one from a girl asking how to get a vape. She wore a school uniform in her own videos.
Another comment tagged a person with “us”. The tagged person’s bio said they were 14.
A second video posted on Thursday showed the text “new hqd dispos[ables] just dropped”, then scanned a cabinet to show the flavours available in that brand.
Professor Janet Hoek, who researches marketing and public policy, said moves had been made to regulate the vape industry, but more needed to be done to stop young people from picking up a nicotine dependency.
A 2018, study found 5.9 per cent of tertiary students smoked cigarettes, and given it was a downward trend, Hoek said that may mean fewer than 4 per cent of tertiary students now smoked traditional cigarettes in 2022.
“The argument from people who sell vape products is that vaping is helpful for people who need to quit smoking. So why set up shop in areas where people haven’t been smoking for years?” she said.
She believed shops with significant disposable vape offerings could be disingenuous if they claimed their purpose was to help people quit smoking.
“People who quit want something durable, long-lasting, so that they don’t resort back to smoking.
“There is a big gap in the rhetoric we’re hearing and the reality we’re observing.”
Hi-Fo Vape Club had a membership system and a lounge area for customers to spend time in the store.
On Wednesday, across from displays of colourful vapes, many of which were disposable, there were beanbags, a table with magazines on display, a coffee machine, and a bluetooth speaker.
There was an unmarked fridge where people could buy soft drinks for as little as $1.
The shop itself was in what used to be the office of Dunedin North Labour MP David Clark.
Clark said vaping was a useful tool to get people off cigarettes, but “should they be vaping more? No”.
Because the long-term effects of vaping were still being researched, the Government was taking a piecemeal approach to regulating the industry, Clark said. They wanted to respond to what was happening rather than make assumptions.
It was understood that vaping was not without harm, but was safer than cigarettes, so the Government’s focus was on ensuring the products were used as a tool to quit smoking, he said.
Hi-Fo Vape Club’s owner was unavailable to comment. The TikTok videos have since been deleted.
The Ministry of Health has been approached for comment.